Take him to the river
Photo Credit: Dan Holmes
By Kennedy Ryan
August 18, 2023
After taking an environmental monitoring course in the Fall of 2022, Lucas Forman ’24 was determined to get hands-on experience that applied the skills he developed.
The environmental studies major found an opportunity at the Hoosic River Watershed Association, a conservation group dedicated to monitoring the Hoosic River in western Massachusetts and restoring habitats. His World of Work Fellowship included a stipend to participate in a 12-week internship program.
Every two weeks, Forman could be found at any of the nine testing sites along the river, collecting water samples with the team. After collection, each sample was processed at the Berkshire Community College lab. Through this experience, Forman discovered the importance of time management, detail and process.
“Time is of the essence in water sampling,” said Forman. “You’re traveling to multiple locations, but need to get the samples to the lab within a specific time before they’re not good anymore. It’s challenging, but rewarding.”
While he hasn’t determined the exact field he’d like to pursue upon graduation, Forman is confident in his passion for environmental monitoring. He contributes this to getting hands-on experience.
“I really wanted to get that experience doing the actual work,” said Forman. “I now have a sense of what a career in this position would look like.”
